Want the looks of an SUV but not the size or running costs? You're probably in the market for one of the new, ever-expanding breed of subcompact and compact crossovers.

Hot on the heels of Ford's announcement that it could bring the new EcoSport to U.S. shores, Land Rover has trademarked a new name for a car that could be its own entrant into the small SUV classs.

According to Autocar, Land Rover has recently applied to trademark the name 'Landy'.

Previously, the 'Landy' name has been an affectionate nickname for Land Rover models--but now it could appear on a vehicle too, as well as associated accessories, merchandise and franchising for vehicle dealerships.

A smaller Land Rover model hasn't yet been confirmed, but rumors have floated around for some time that the company was looking into such a model.

It would compete with some of the smaller crossovers on the market, like MINI's Countryman and the upcoming Audi Q1. Autocar suggests the car would be based on the platform currently used for the Range Rover Evoque, and could get styling similar to the squared-off DC100 concept.

It's also likely the new vehicle would be among the most efficient cars Land Rover makes. In the U.S, that title is currently held by the 2014 Range Rover Evoque, which manages 21 mpg city, 30 highway and 24 mpg combined.

Land Rover has previously struggled to make a business case for a smaller model, but as the small SUV and crossover market grows, such a car may finally have potential.

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